Only two skaters participated in the Maple Leafs’ optional skate on Tuesday morning in Columbus, indicating a potential roster move for the team.

Following a 5-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Leafs held an optional skate where only Timothy Liljegren and David Kampf were on the ice, along with goaltender Joseph Woll, who is recovering from a groin injury. Woll’s presence was expected, even though coach Craig Berube mentioned he might be an option for Tuesday’s game.

Liljegren has played just one game this season amid trade rumors, while Kampf has seen his ice time decrease under Berube.

Connor Dewar and Jani Hakanpaa have been on LTIR since the season began, alongside Calle Jarnkrok, as they recover from various injuries. This situation has forced the Leafs to manage their roster while operating under LTIR.

Currently, the Leafs are $5.1 million over the salary cap, with $5.4 million in total salary on LTIR, leading to potentially tough decisions once everyone is healthy. The absence of another fourth-line center to replace Kampf makes his participation in the skate surprising, especially before a back-to-back game.

With Liljegren and Kampf as the only skaters at practice, speculation has increased due to their combined salary of $5.4 million, matching the amount the Leafs have on LTIR. Although Jarnkrok is expected to be out for some time, the minimum LTIR stints for Hakanpaa and Dewar are ending soon, meaning the Leafs will need to clear at least $2.6 million in cap space to activate both players.

Trading Liljegren would easily create that space, while moving Kampf would require the Leafs to trade another player. With both players seeing reduced playing time under Berube, it seems likely that one or both could be leaving Toronto in the near future.